Paint problems in en suite

[fiona2011]

I've a very small en suite bathroom that is in dire need of painting/rescue.

The house is about 6 years old, and the ensuite was originally painted with normal emulsion. The ventilation isn't great (no window), and mould developed on the walls and ceiling. Some, but not all, of the original ceiling paint flaked off.

I scraped and sanded off as much as I could, and used a mould cleaner, then repainted with a bathroom paint.

Roll on 2 years, and the paint is flaking in a few spots, and is looking rubbish, and you can see where old paint is under the new paint. It looks like the mould is coming through again.

What I want is to strip it all back to the skim and start again, but I don't think that's possible. Has anyone any ideas or should I repeat the previous exercise.

The ventilation problem is improved BTW.

Thanks in advance

 

[elrobbo82]

you need to establish what is causing the mould. is it just poor ventilation or is it something else. this information is required to pass out the correct advice.

 

[JohnD]

What you are describing is caused by damp and condensation.

I really think you need to save up for an extractor fan. get one that comes on automatically with the light switch and runs on for a period on a timer. This is because many people have a psychological aversion to ventilation and will not switch on an extractor if they have to do it manually. If you already have a fan, then a more powerful one, used more often, will help.

It will also keep the room fresher.

Do not put it directly above a bath or shower because (here in the UK at least) the electrical safety regulations are then more onerous. Put it as high as you can since water vapour is lighter than air and will rise.

You can hire a core drill which will make a very neat hole through the wall, exactly the right size for the duct to fit.

Centrifugal fans are generally quieter and more powerful than axial fans, but may be a little dearer.

A bathroom extractor fan will typically run for about 50 hours on 14p worth of electricity.

Once you have cured the humidity, damp and condensation problem the peeling and mould will be easy to fix, and paint will last better.

 

[elrobbo82]

just to add to john D's advice a fan with a humidity sensor would be beneficial along with a constant trickle fan incorporating a boost switch.

 

[fiona2011]

Thanks so far.

The ventilation problem is sorted. The extractor fan is one that comes on with the light but was set to go off only a minute or so after the light went off. We changed that to max, and checked that the flue was unblocked/straight in the attic.

Also, now I leave the door ajar and tbh I think that's helped the most.

It looks like the mould that's coming through now is the old mould - so it's more like the mould stain rather than new mould (I hope that makes sense!)

But you are all correct that the condensation issue needed tackling.

I don't think I did a great job with the redecorating last time, and so it looks rubbish now.

Thanks for your help so far.

 

[elrobbo82]

is the paint flaking back to bare plaster? is there efflorescence (slats from the plaster) underneath the flaky paint? or is there just the stain coming through?

if there is efflorescence then you need to scrape back the effected area's and apply an alkali resisting primer to these areas.

any case you will need to scrape back any flaky areas, fill and sand smooth.

if its just the stain coming through you will need to apply either a stain block or a thinned oil based undercoat to the stained areas.

if there is fresh mould you will have to wash this with a fungicidal solution and leave to penetrate the spores. then apply a mould inhibiting paint which there are many to choose from with different finishes.

as said previously though the cause will have to be rectified prior to decoration.

 

[fiona2011]

Thanks a mil Elrobbo

I'll get a fungicidal solution and then the paint you suggest. Should I put a stain block before/after this paint?
Should I put the solution on before sanding/scraping?

There are a few small spots of new mould, but very tiny - certainly in comparison with what was there before.

From what you've said, I'm now wondering if I didn't kill off the mould and that it's still growing between the paint layers - albeit a lot more slowly.

However, looks like I'll be scraping away again soon!

 

[elrobbo82]

i would scrape back flaking paint, then apply fungicidal solution, leave to penetrate (normally 24 hours), sand effected areas, fill where needed then when this is dry sand smooth then apply the stain block. i would then apply 2 coats of mould inhibiting paint of preferred finish and colour.

ensuring that the problem is just condensation and not something else. again make sure you have rectified the cause prior to decoration.